An airman's neck and face are inspected during a shaving waiver course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., in 2018. All medical shaving waivers issued to Air Force and Space Force members prior to March 1 will expire at the end of next month, and those who have them must make an appointment with a military health care provider by Jan. 31, 2026, for further evaluation, according to new guidance issued Dec. 15. (Colville McFee/U.S. Air Force)
Airmen and guardians who’ve been allowed to keep a beard for more than nine months for nonreligious reasons may want to add a new razor to their holiday wish list.
All medical shaving waivers issued prior to March 1 will expire at the end of next month, the Air Force Surgeon General’s office said in a statement Monday.
To stay in regulation, Air Force and Space Force members on a long-term shaving profile will have to make an appointment with a military health care provider by Jan. 31, 2026, for further evaluation, the statement said, citing a memo signed by Lt. Gen. John DeGoes, the Air Force surgeon general.
Going forward, no single profile can exceed six months, and airmen and guardians accruing more than 12 months of profiles within a two-year period will be referred to their commander, the memo states.
As a result, some members of either service may need preventive education on proper shaving hygiene or even be recommended for laser hair removal, says the new guidance, which revises a January predecessor.
Ultimately, it will be up to unit commanders rather than a military health professional whether to approve a shaving profile for medical reasons, according to the new guidance.
The directive does not apply to religious accommodation shaving waivers, DeGoes said.
The previous guidance noted that extended-duration shaving profiles were generally reserved for severe cases of pseudofolliculitis barbae, or razor bumps, a skin condition caused by ingrown hairs that can make shaving painful and lead to scarring if skin is not given a chance to heal.
The condition, caused by curly hairs growing back into the skin, disproportionately affects Black men and is associated with frequent shaving, according to a study by the Society of Federal Health Professionals.
The previous guidance was intended to differentiate razor bumps from “shaving irritation,” according to the surgeon general’s statement on Monday.
But in September, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Pentagon “to revert to pre-2020 standards” and do away with permanent shaving profiles for medical conditions, such as razor bumps.
To underscore his message, Hegseth said “no more beardos” while addressing hundreds of generals and admirals summoned to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia in September.
“The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done,” he said in the speech. “Simply put, if you do not meet the male-level physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a (physical training) test or don’t want to shave and look professional, it’s time for a new position or a new profession.”
It’s not clear, however, whether permanent conditions will result in automatic administrative separation.
Primary care managers are to evaluate members for medical conditions, recommend profiles and submit their recommendations to a medical profile officer.
Beginning Feb. 1, 2026, airmen and guardians who accumulate more than 12 months of a shaving profile within a 24-month period will be referred to their commander.
Commanders may request an evaluation for an airman or guardian “due to operational concerns stemming from a medical condition,” according to the new guidance.
Military medical officers were previously the final authority on medical shaving waivers.
